Australia: Flag

The Australian flag, adopted on May 22, 1909, consists of three parts:

The Union Jack, or British flag is in the corner of the flag to show the link between Australia and Britain. The Union Jack (British National Flag) was named the Australian National flag in 1788, but replaced later by the current Australian flag.

The four stars on the right hand side represent the constellation The Southern Cross, the symbol of Australia. The Southern Cross is visible in the southern night skies and has been used as a navigational tool for centuries.

The star beneath the Union Jack is the Commonwealth Star with one point representing each of the seven states in Australia.

Note: The official colors of Australia are green and yellow and there are many proposals for a new Australian flag using the official colors.